Fountain brush with closure cap controlled valve



Se t. 17, 1957 F. R. WITTNEBERT FOUNTAIN BRUSH WITH CLOSURE! CAPCONTROLLED VALVE Filed July 8; 1955 j'bfose/cbfl Wrzwsaser M; m' KUnited States Patent Color Products Company, Inc., Chicago, Ill.",; acorporation of Illinois Appne'aue July 8, 1953; Serial No. 366,798

9- Claims.- (Cl. 15-439 This invention relates-to a fountain applicatorand more particularly to'a fountain brush.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved andsimplifiedforin of fountain'applicator or brush especially'ada'ptedforuse in applying lacquers on walls and the likearid for coveringscratches,-mars, etc. on metal, wood, or unfinished surfaces of othermaterials.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fountainapplicator of the type having a closure cap and wherein the capisutiliz'e'd to maintain the fluid control valve of the applicator openwhen the cap is on the applicator body or reservoir-l In accordance withthe general features of this invention there is provided a fountainapplicator comprising a fluid containing. reservoir, a bristle brush atone end' thereof, resiliently urged means controllingflow of fluid fromthe reservoir to the brush, and a closure cap for the brush end ofthe'reservoir guided on" the reservoir to direct an internal projectioninto the brush to depress and open the means whereby fluid flows to thebrush when the cap is on the reservoir end; g

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of an agitatorin the reservoir of the applicator movable to stir the fluid'entirelyindependent of the valve control means.

Other objects and features of this invention may more fully appear fromthefollowing detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings which illustrate several embodiments thereof andin which Figure" 1 is a side elevation of my novel applicator;-

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view through theapplicator partly broken away, and showing the cap in closure positionon the" applicator reservoir;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional View similar to-Figure 2 showing the ejected position of the bristle brush when the capis removed";

Figure4- is a cross-sectional View taken on the line Figure 5: islafragmentary cross-sectional view similar to 'gu e 3 showing a modifiedform of applicator; and Figure -6 is across sectional view taken on theline VI- VI of Figure 5 looking downwardly.

Disposed inside ofthe bore 13 of the plug or insert 16 i is a helicalcompre'ssi'on spring 19, one end of a which apnea Washer 20 press fittedinto a countersunk opening 2,806,239 Patented Sept. 17, 1957 2 21 at oneend of the bore 18. The other end of the spring 19 abuts a guide Washer22 carried on an annular enlargement or shoulder 23 of a brush stem 25.

Both the washers 20 and 22 may be made of any suitable material, such,for example, as a synthetic plastic. Each of them has a central openingof larger diameter than that of the stem proper so that the stem looselypasses through these washers. It will also be noted from Figure 4 thatthe washer 22 has cut away or fiat portions 26 spaced from the wall ofthe tubular plug 16 so that fluid in the upper part of the reservoir 10can flow between the edges of this washer 22 and the inside wall of theplug 16' while the washer still acts as a guide for the stem 25.

The enlarged or shouldered end 23 of the stem 25 is cupped, as indicatedat 27 in Figure 3, and has embedded in it the base 28 of a bristle brush30.

It will also be noted that the external or free end of the tubular plug16 is reduced and rounded at 31 and has a reduced opening. 32 comprisingthe valve opening of the applicator. This opening 32 is of such a size,as show in Figure 3, that the brush base 28 can loosely telescope thesame when the applicator stem 25 is in closed position. When in thisposition the lower edge of the shouldered end 23 of the stem contacts at33' the interior wall of the open end 31 of the applicator to form avalve for metering or shutting olf the flow of fluid from the reservoiror barrel 11 to the bristles of brush 30. The shouldered'end 23 of thestem 25 is maintained in this closed position under the resilientpressure of the compression spring 19.

Also disposed in the barrel 11 of the reservoir 10 is an annular Weight35 which is between the plug- 16 and the closed end of the reservoir.Itis movable in the; barrel or casing 11 entirely independent of themovement-of the stem 25, which'stem is free to move through the centerof the Weight as shownin Figure 2.

The weight is effective as an agitator for stirring up the fluid in thereservoir by simply shaking the fountain reservoir or by turning itupside-down.

My invention is especially concerned with the coaction of the cap 13with the bristle brush 30 or more specifically with the valve stem 25.As shown in Figure 2, the cap has embedded in the inside surface of itsclosed end, a

pointed metal pin 40 depending centrally in the cap to terminate withinthe cap. The pin is of such length that the cap will be guided by thenozzle to align the pin longitudinally so that it will centrallypenetrate the bristles of brush 30 and strike the brush base 28 forraising the valve shoulder 23 out of valve closing position.

In other words, the cap 13 is placed on the nozzle, guided by its sidewall on the side wall of the nozzleto align the pin with the brush andasthe cap is screwed onto the threads 12, the pin 40 penetrates thebristles of brush 30, impinging against the valve or stem enlargement 23and moving it from the closed valve position shown in- Figure 3 to theopen position shown in Figure 2. When in this latter position, the fluidin' the reservoir can freely flow downwardly around the bristles 'of'the brush 30 which has been pushed back into the open end 31 of the plug16. a

The tip 41 of the open end of the plug end- 31- is adapted, when the capis on the reservoir, to sealingly engage a synthetic plastic insert 42or washer embedded in the cap around the pin 40. This seal serves tomini mize evaporation of the fluid around and in the bristles of brush30 and yet enables the bristles to be maintained and kept moist by thefluid.

In Figures 5 and 6 I have illustrated a modification of the inventionwherein the parts common to these figures and Figure 3 are, for purposesof simplicity, given the same reference characters. Actually, the onlydiflerence resides in the construction of the enlarged end 23' of thestem 25'. In this form the spacing guide or washer 22' is formedintegral with the stem enlarged end 23'. This guide 22' has spacedradial'ears or lugs 26 for contact ing the inside surface of thereservoir plug 16. Also, the bristles of brush 30' are embedded directlyin the lower integral end 28' of the enlargement or shoulder 23'.Otherwise, this form of the invention is the same and operates in thesame manner as the first described embodiment.

As illustrated in Figures 3 and when the brush is projected beyond thenozzle end 31, the spring holds the valve on the tapered seat to stopflow to the brush.

When sufiicient end load is placed on the brush it will retract into thebore to unseat the valve and permit flow of fluid to the brush. Thisflow will be controlled or metered by the valve in accordance with thespacing of the valve from the seat. Thus the end load on the brush willnot only control the distance which the bristles project but will alsocontrol the degree of valve opening to modulate fluid flow to the brush.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fountain applicator comprising a reservoir with an elongated sidewall portion, a pin penetrable applicator at one end thereof,resiliently urged modulating valve means supporting said applicator andcontrolling flow of fluid from the reservoir to the applicator whilemetering said flow when open and substantially stopping flow whenclosed, guide means in the reservoir slidably supporting the valve meanswhile accommodating relatively free flow of fluid between the valve andreservoir, said applicator upon application of end load thereto beingretractable into the reservoir under control of said guide means to openthe valve and receive fluid from the reservoir, a closure cap for theapplicator end of the reservoir having an end wall for sealing theapplicator end of the reservoir, an elongated side wall for engaging theside wall portion of the reservoir to direct the cap into coaxialalignment 'with the reservoir before the end wall contacts the projectedapplicator and an internally threaded open end beyond said side wall, arelatively thin elongated pin in said closure cap depending from saidend wall centrally of the cap and terminating inwardly from the open endof the cap to be aligned with the applicator by the guiding of theelongated side wall of the cap on the reservoir before engaging thevalve means, said Jpin being sufl'iciently long to penetrate theapplicator and depress the valve means into the reservoir in advance ofthe end Wall of the cap while the valve means is still under control ofsaid guide means for the valve means whereby the valve will be openedand the applicator 'will be submerged in fluid contained in thereservoir, and

a thread on the reservoir mating with the threaded cap portion to drawthe end Wall of the cap into tight sealing relation with the reservoir.I

2. A fountain applicator comprising a tube having a dispensing orifice,a flow control valve slidably guided in the central portion of the tubeto receive fluid therearound when open and to substantially stop flowwhen closed, a brush on said valve being sufliciently stiff to fitfreely through the orifice and to project beyond the tube, said brushadapted to be depressed upon application of end load thereon to open thevalve for receiving fluid from the tube, a closure cap for the tubehaving an elongated side wall guided on the tube and an end wall foroverlying the tube in sealed relation therewith, an elongated relativelythin pin depending from said end wall centrally of the cap andterminating inside the cap, said side wall of the cap being longer thanthe projected lengflr of the brush sufliciently for engaging the sidewall of the tube to longitudinally align the pin with the centralportion of the orifice before the pin engages the valve, said side wallof the cap and tube cooperating to direct the pin longitudinally throughthe brush and against the valve, said pin being sufliciently long todepress the valve for holding the applicator in advance of the end wallof the cap, and coacting means on the cap and tube to hold the cap insealed engagement over the end of the tube with the pin retracting thebrush into the tube and opening the valve to submerge the brush in thecontents of the tube.

3. A fountain applicator comprising a fluid containing reservoir havinga dispensing nozzle with an internal valve seat adjacent the outlet endthereof, a pin penetratable applicator carrying flow modulating valveslidably mounted in the longitudinal central portion of the nozzle andadapted to receive fluid from the reservoir therearound, a spring in thenozzle urging the valve toward said seat to close the outlet end of thenozzle and to project the applicator beyond the nozzle, said applicatorfitting freely in said outlet end of the nozzle and said spring adaptedto be compressed by end load on the applicator to accommodate unseatingof the valve and controlled flow from the reservoir to the projectedapplicator, and a removable screw cap for said nozzle having anelongated side wall guided on the nozzle, said cap having a centrallydepending relatively thin internal pin terminating inwardly from theopen end of the cap, the relative lengths of the side wall of the capand the pin being such that the pin is positioned by the cap as it isguided on the reservoir into longitudinal alignment with the applicatorfor penetrating the applicator and engaging the central portion of thevalve to depress the valve for holding the applicator in advance of theend wall of the cap, and a screw thread on said nozzle coacting with thescrew cap to draw the cap tightly against the outlet end of the nozzleto seal the nozzle while holding the applicator inside the nozzle insubmerged relation with fluid in the reservoir.

4. A valved fountain brush which comprises a closed bottom open topcontainer, a tubular plug secured in the open end of the container andprojecting therefrom to provide an elongated side wall and an aperturedend remote from the container, said plug having a bore therethrough anda valve seat adjacent the apertured end of the plug, a stem slidablyguided in the center of the plug bore adapted to receive fluid from thecontainer freely therearound, a flow modulating valve on said stemcoacting with said seat to selectively stop and to control flow from thebore through the aperture, a spring on said stem urging the valveagainst said seat, a closure cap having an open end, an elongated sidewall for embracing said side wall of the plug and an end wall foroverlying the apertured end of the plug, a relatively thin pin dependinglongitudinally from said end wall in the center of the cap andterminating inwardly from the open end of the cap, brush bristlescarried by the valve adapted to fit freely through the plug aperture toproject beyond the plug when the valve is seated on the valve seat, therelative lengths of the pin and side wall of the cap being such thatsaid elongated side wall of the plug directs the side wall of the cap toalign the pin longitudinally with the central portion of the aperturefor penetrating the brush and engaging the valve in the aperture todepress the valve for holding the brush in advance of the endwall of thecap, coacting means on the cap and plug to'secure the cap on the plugwith its end wall sealing the plug aperture and its pin penetrating thebrush bristles to engage the valve for retracting the brush bristleswithin the plug bore in communication 'with the contents of thecontainer whereby fluid in the container can flow freely around the stemand valve to submerge the brush bristles.

5. A fountain applicator comprising a closed bottom open top cylindricalshell, a longitudinally bored tubular plug in said open end of the shellhaving a reduced diameter nozzle portion projecting beyond the shellwith a rounded apertured end, said plug having a bore therethrough witha valve seat portion converging to said end,

a counterbore in thelarge end of the plug, a stem in said bore andcounterbore having avaliie threon coating with shid eat to" controlflowthrougliith'e' aperture", cilcinnfei-entially'spaced' lugs projetifigfroni said valve in free slidihg relation-with the bore wjallj-a washerpress fitted in said couiite'rbore freely receiving tlistem therethrbughar'idcoacting with the lugs to'g'iiide' the" stem andvalve in thelongitudinal central portion of the bore while accommodating flow offluid from the shell therearound, a spring around the stem compressedbetween the washer and valve to urge the valve against the seat, brushbristles carried by the valve and projecting therefrom freely throughthe aperture, a cap for said nozzle having an elongated side wall guidedon said nozzle and an end wall for overlying the apertured end of thenozzle in sealed engagement therewith, a pin depending centrally in thecap from the closed end and terminating within the cap, the relativelengths of the side wall and pin being such that said nozzle guides theside wall of the cap to direct the pin through the brush bristles andcentrally against the valve to depress the brush into the bore inadvance of the end wall of the cap and open the valve for free flow offluid in the nozzle over the brush, coacting means on the plug and capto draw the cap tightly against the end of the nozzle, and a tubularweight freely slidable in the shell receiving the stem therein andbottomed by the plug to agitate the contents of the shell and direct thesame through the washer when the applicator is shaken.

6. A fluid applicator comprising an elongated barrel having a closedbottom and a reduced diameter elongated nozzle projecting from the topthereof, said nozzle having a longitudinal bore therethrough incommunication with the barrel and a valve seat converging from the boreto a reduced diameter opening through the end of the nozzle, a stern inthe central portion of said nozzle having a flow modulating valvecoacting with said seat to substantially stop flow when seated, brushbristles carried by said valve and projecting freely through saidopening in the end of the nozzle, spaced opposed guide means in saidbore coacting with said stem, one of said guide means being secured tothe nozzle, the other of said guide means being movable with the stern,a spring between said guide means urging the valve against its seatwhile projecting the bristles beyond the nozzle, said spring adapted tobe compressed upon application of end load to said bristles forpartially retracting the bristles into the nozzle to open the valve andmeter flow to the bristles, an end cap having an elongated side wall forslidably embracing said nozzle to longitudinally align the cap on thenozzle, said cap having an end wall for sealing the open end of thenozzle, an internal pin depending from the end wall of the capandterminating inwardly from the mouth of the cap, said side wall of thecap being sufficiently long that when the 'cap slidably embraces saidnozzle the pin Will be automatie'akly aligned with the central portionof the opening th g the end of the nozzle before the pin engages thevalve 'oi the seat adjacent said opening whereby the pin will penetratethe brush bristles and engage the valve for (ppenin'g. the valve Whiledepressing the brush bristles into full communication with fluid in thereservoir to submerge the brush Lbristles in said fluid when the capseals the end of the nozzle.

7. A fountain applicator comprising a reservoir for fluid having adispensing outlet, with an elongated outer side wall, a valve in theoutlet selectively controlling and stopping flow through said outlet, apin penetratable applicator carried by said valve adapted to beselectively projected beyond the outlet and retracted into the outlet, aclosure cap for the outlet having an open end, an elongated inner sidewall extending from said open end for surrounding said outer side wallof the reservoir to be guided by the outer side wall into fittedengagement with the reservoir and an end wall for covering the outlet insealed relation when the cap is fitted on the reservoir, a relativelythiripinlongr than the pfojectedlength of the applicator dependingfromsaid eatrwau longitudinally inside said cap andterminating in spacedrelation inwardlyfroni the open end-ofthe cap', said pin adapted topenetrate the applicator and ro ect freely through the dispensihgoiitlet'to thrust-against the valve for-retracting the applicator andvalve into the reservoir, and the inner side wall of the cap beingsufficiently longer than the pin for coacting with the outer side wallof the reservoir to align the pin longitudinally with the applicator andwith the central portion of the opening before the pin penetrates saidapplicator and thrusts against the valve to exert a retracting forcewhereby the pin will not damage the applicator even when the cap isrotated. Y

8. A fountain applicator comprising a tube having a dispensing orificeat one end, a flow control valve in the tube and movable along thecentral axis thereof to receive fluid therearound to meter flow whenopen and to substantially stop flow when closed, a pin penetratableapplicator on said valve adapted to fit freely through the orifice andto project beyond the tube, said applicator being sufficiently stiff tobe depressed upon application of end load thereon to open the valve forreceiving fluid from the tube, a closure cap for the tube having anelongated side wall guided on the tube and an end wall for overlying thetube in sealed relation therewith, an elongated relatively thin pin inthe cap extending from said end wall along the central axis of the capand terminating inside the cap, said side wall of the cap being longerthan the projected length of the applicator sufliciently for engagingthe side wall of the tube to longitudinally align the pin with thecentral portion of the orifice before the pin engages the valve, saidside walls of the cap and tube cooperating to direct the pinlongitudinally through the applicator and against the valve, said pinbeing sufiiciently long to depress the valve for holding the applicatorin advance of the end wall of the cap and with the pin retracting theapplicator into the tube and opening the vatlve to submerge theapplicator in the contents of the tu e.

9. A fountain applicator comprising a reservoir-defining elongated bodyhaving a dispensing orifice at one end and a valve seat inside said bodyadjacent the orifice, a spring-loaded valve within said body coactingwith said seat to selectively control and stop flow to the orifice fromsaid reservoir, a pin-penetrable applicator on said valve adapted toproject through and beyond said orifice, said applicator beingsufiiciently stiff to be depressed upon application of end load thereonto move the valve 011. of said seat and open the reservoir to theorifice for modulated controlled flow from the reservoir to theapplicator, a closure cap for the applicator having an end wall forsealing engagement with the orifice end of the body to seal the orifice,an elongated side wall for engaging the body to direct the cap intoaligned relation with the body, and an elongated relatively thin pinprojecting from said end wall centrally of the cap and terminatinginwardly from the open end of the cap to be aligned with the applicatorby the guiding of the side wall of the cap on the body before engagingthe valve, said pin being sufiiciently long to penetrate the applicatorand depress the valve off of its seat with the applicator in advance ofthe end wall of the cap to immerse the applicator in the contents of thereservoir during periods of non-use while simultaneously engaging theend wall of the cap with the body around the orifice to seal theapplicator in the body.

Hamilton Aug. 13, 1867 Wiehl Jan. 4, 1898 (Other references on followingpage) UNITED STATES PATENTS Marcher 'May 29, 1934 DeGrofi Jan. 15, 1946Jockers Oct. 18, 1949 Prokdp'et a1. Sept. 30, 1952 5 Hempel Aug. 24,1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 4 Germany L. May 12, 1906 Great Britain Mar. 24,1949 Switzerland Aug." 16, 1950 Great Britain Mar. 14, '1951 SwitzerlandAm. 1, 1952

